Correcting Icelandic Manuscripts in the Second Half of the Fourteenth Century
Writing is a task prone to errors and mistakes. While modern devices allow for invisible corrections, medieval scribes often had to use methods that would remain visible to a manuscript’s future users. Previous studies on Western European manuscripts indicate that these methods can be indicative o...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Danish |
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Isländska sällskapet
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Scripta Islandica |
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| Online Access: | https://publicera.kb.se/scis/article/view/44545 |
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| author | Lea D. Pokorny |
| author_facet | Lea D. Pokorny |
| author_sort | Lea D. Pokorny |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Writing is a task prone to errors and mistakes. While modern devices allow for invisible corrections, medieval scribes often had to use methods that would remain visible to a manuscript’s future users. Previous studies on Western European manuscripts indicate that these methods can be indicative of the people responsible as well as the time of correction, thus revealing important information about the book production process. Yet, corrections in Icelandic manuscripts have hitherto not found much scholarly attention.
This article focuses on correction techniques used in Icelandic book production in the second half of the fourteenth century in the context of Western European conventions. It discusses the used methods in their context of the possible time of correction and the people responsible for correcting, embedding the correction process in the overall sequencing of book production. It is argued that Icelandic scribes were largely responsible for going over and correcting their own material. It appears as if they used a simpler set of symbols when correcting than elsewhere in contemporary Western European manuscripts. The main correction process highly likely occurred after the copying of a main text was finished and before it went on to the rubrication and decoration.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d2dfea35edc947a3baa4a558befd2cc3 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 0582-3234 2001-9416 |
| language | Danish |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Isländska sällskapet |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scripta Islandica |
| spelling | doaj-art-d2dfea35edc947a3baa4a558befd2cc32025-08-20T02:57:46ZdanIsländska sällskapetScripta Islandica0582-32342001-94162025-02-017510.63092/scis.75.44545Correcting Icelandic Manuscripts in the Second Half of the Fourteenth CenturyLea D. Pokorny0https://orcid.org/0009-0007-3766-992XUniversity of Iceland Writing is a task prone to errors and mistakes. While modern devices allow for invisible corrections, medieval scribes often had to use methods that would remain visible to a manuscript’s future users. Previous studies on Western European manuscripts indicate that these methods can be indicative of the people responsible as well as the time of correction, thus revealing important information about the book production process. Yet, corrections in Icelandic manuscripts have hitherto not found much scholarly attention. This article focuses on correction techniques used in Icelandic book production in the second half of the fourteenth century in the context of Western European conventions. It discusses the used methods in their context of the possible time of correction and the people responsible for correcting, embedding the correction process in the overall sequencing of book production. It is argued that Icelandic scribes were largely responsible for going over and correcting their own material. It appears as if they used a simpler set of symbols when correcting than elsewhere in contemporary Western European manuscripts. The main correction process highly likely occurred after the copying of a main text was finished and before it went on to the rubrication and decoration. https://publicera.kb.se/scis/article/view/44545correctionserrorsbook productionIcelandic manuscriptscodicologyvernacular book culture |
| spellingShingle | Lea D. Pokorny Correcting Icelandic Manuscripts in the Second Half of the Fourteenth Century Scripta Islandica corrections errors book production Icelandic manuscripts codicology vernacular book culture |
| title | Correcting Icelandic Manuscripts in the Second Half of the Fourteenth Century |
| title_full | Correcting Icelandic Manuscripts in the Second Half of the Fourteenth Century |
| title_fullStr | Correcting Icelandic Manuscripts in the Second Half of the Fourteenth Century |
| title_full_unstemmed | Correcting Icelandic Manuscripts in the Second Half of the Fourteenth Century |
| title_short | Correcting Icelandic Manuscripts in the Second Half of the Fourteenth Century |
| title_sort | correcting icelandic manuscripts in the second half of the fourteenth century |
| topic | corrections errors book production Icelandic manuscripts codicology vernacular book culture |
| url | https://publicera.kb.se/scis/article/view/44545 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT leadpokorny correctingicelandicmanuscriptsinthesecondhalfofthefourteenthcentury |